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A censer, or thurible, is used in many Christian services for the burning of incense. Censers of terra-cotta or metal were widely used in ancient Egypt, in other early Middle Eastern civilizations, including the Jewish, and in the classical eras of early Greece and Rome. Artists often designed or decorated censers, because the objects were used primarily for religious worship, especially in funerals. In censers, fragrant incense is strewn on burning coals. An early kind of censer was an open bowl with a handle. A later kind was a closed receptacle with openings that allowed smoke to escape.